Sibley's BBQ
12000 Winfree St., Chester, 748-3299,
facebook.com/SibleysBBQ
Butter churns and pickle crocks, once in the kitchen arsenal, now signal that you've entered a barbecue den. You'll find them, plus one hell of a pig figurine collection, in the dining room at Sibley's. Go early — it's nothing for the ribs to sell out by 7 p.m., and with good reason. Other than pork, what customers really hanker for is their expertly seasoned beef brisket. Hand-sliced to order, it takes just one taste for
the classic barbecue sides to be forgotten. —GS
Carter's Pig Pen Bar-B-Que
8011 Cold Harbor Road, Mechanicsville, 730-3616,
carterspigpenbarbque.com
This porky gem located off Atlee Road in Mechanicsville cannot get cuter. Established in 2008 by Paul and Kristi Fulcher, Carter's smokes their 'cue out back behind a charming baby blue house. But it's the noteworthy, gently smoked pulled pork boasting nary a bit of fat that's worth the drive. Served with your choice of a sweet, tomato-based or a sharp, vinegar-based barbecue sauce, you can choose your own style. If saucy spareribs, pulled chicken or shredded beef sirloin tickle your fancy, you're also in luck. Wash down all of this homemade fare with fresh squeezed lemonade. —KBM
Q Barbeque
Various locations,
qbarbeque.com
A soft bun loaded with large shreds of straight-up smoky pork mixed with just the right amount of fat and a few crispy burnt ends shows off award-winning pit master Tuffy Stone's signature technique. The sauce is up to you, with three varieties to choose from — Original (moderately sweet), Sa-weet (sweet and fruity, Kansas City-style), and Hot Zing (North Carolina-style). Prefer a spiced white vinegar instead of a traditional sauce? Yep, you'll find it on the table, too. North Carolina's favorite cherry-cola Cheerwine on tap at the soda fountain only adds incentive for a return visit. With four locations in the Richmond area, you can get your pork on no matter where you might be in the River City. —TV
Estes BarB'Que
Truck at the corner of 11th and Broad streets; 317 N. Second St.,
estesbarbque.com
The new generation of pit masters is here. Joshua Estes, a self-described beer snob, partners with Hardywood to create a wide and ever-changing selection of craft-beer sauces, like one made with raspberry stout and chipotle, or another made with an IPA and apple butter. His sister, Hilary, produces the equally creative sides (think spicy citrus coleslaw with carrots and red cabbage, and beans simmered with brown sugar and pineapple). "I use my nose to come up with new sauces," Joshua says. "There's a lot of barbecue out there, and we try to be a little bit different." Along with their truck, the Estes siblings have just opened up a walk-in/takeout spot on Second Street in Jackson Ward. —BF
Andy's BBQ
5233 S. Laburnum Ave., 222-1436
Located in a nondescript strip mall only a few miles from Richmond International Airport, this sit-down barbecue joint is a no-frills kind of place that's all about the basics: spicy, vinegary North Carolina-style chopped or pulled pork barbecue sandwiches topped with creamy, mustard-based slaw, piled high on a white bun. The best part is, all of this tasty goodness is served up with a smile by the same ladies who have been working here for years. —KBM
Hogshead Café
9503 W. Broad St., 308-0281,
thehogsheadcafe.com
No one really expects "presentation" when eating barbecue, but leave it to West End-based Hogshead Café (next door to what seems to be the last Blockbuster in America) to get downright upscale with white ceramic dishware. The barbecue is stellar, too. Dry-rubbed baby back ribs heave with meat and juice, and the pulled pork plays a tender card. Even the coleslaw skews fancy: chopped not shredded and so lightly dressed it could be deemed healthy. And then there's "The Hog Dog," a deep-fried beef dog and bacon topped with pork and slaw. It'll clog your arteries, but you'll die smiling. —RM
Alamo BBQ
2202 Jefferson Ave., 592-3138,
alamobbqva.com
Alamo's pit master, Tyler Hefner, said it best when asked about the staying power of their menu: "Why fix it if it ain't broke?" Not to mention that they were voted one of the 10 best ribs in America by Fox News' The Daily meal. Pulled pork, beef brisket, sausage links, BBQ burritos, quesadillas and tacos are giving Richmonders a taste of some real-deal, Tex-Mex-style smoked meat courtesy of owner Chris Davis, who hails straight from Houston. While the pulled pork is divine on its own, it's the homemade barbecue sauce that makes it truly shine. Spicy and sweet with just a touch of vinegar and tomato, it can be poured on just about anything, even Alamo's infamous Texas Train Wreck, a layered dish consisting of creamy jalapeno mac 'n' cheese topped with your choice of meat, cowboy beans, cornbread, tomatoes and jalapenos. —KBM
Buz and Ned's Real Barbecue
1119 N. Boulevard, 355-6055; 8205 W. Broad St., 346-4227,
buzandneds.com
At Buz and Ned's location on the Boulevard (they originally started as a stand outside of Green Top Hunting & Fishing), they've faithfully been serving up 'cue since 1992. They offer a pulled pork barbecue with large chunks of tender meat lightly tossed in their secret 24-ingredient sauce with hints of sweetness and spicy tang. The potato bun gives this sandwich a two-elbows-out approach, as the first bite will inevitably cause pulled pork to spill out of the side. The slaw is served upon request for some of you traditionalists, but this is a sandwich that needs no distractions. If you like a little extra kick, opt for a splash of hot sauce placed between each bite. —TV
Benny's BBQ
3044 Stony Point Road, 320-7447,
bennysbbqva.com
If you go to Benny's BBQ, you'll see the owner, Richard
Cacciotti, in the middle of the dining room, surrounded by trays of slow-smoked pork butts, a row of dinner tickets fluttering at eye level. He tackles the orders one at a time, pulling and assembling each sandwich with just the right ratio of soft and crispy bits of meltingly tender pork. A dribble of spicy-sweet sauce, a dollop of coleslaw and two overstuffed buns complete the order. Besides chicken, ribs, pork and the usual suspects for sides, Benny's makes a topnotch sweet potato casserole and stellar homemade desserts. —GS
Deep Run Roadhouse
12377 Gayton Road, 740-6301,
deeprunroadhouse.com
At Deep Run Roadhouse (opened this year by Paul Hubbard, former maestro behind Alamo in Church Hill), the stars are the two sauces. The thick Kansas City-style "Roadhouse" (like the movie) is a hearty sauce for the full-bodied flavor of brisket. The vinegary "Swayze" (think Patrick) with flecks of heat and a gentle tomato base wants to be doused over tender-pulled pork, just as God intended. Spareribs don't ask for anything and melt happily off the bone with the mere suggestion from a fork (or tooth). The vibe is casual, portions are generously controlled and sides all get best-supporting actor trophies. —RM
King's Famous Barbecue
2910 S. Crater Road, Petersburg, (804) 732-0975,
kingsfamousbarbecue.com
'Cue cognoscenti have made King's Famous Barbecue in Petersburg part of their collective memory. At 10:59 a.m., the parking lot is full of 4X4s waiting for the three-generation old neon to light up. The scent of just-stoked oak wafts from a cinder-block smokehouse. Once inside, little has changed since the first pork shoulder was sliced in 1946, including how and what to order. Sandwiches are chopped or sliced, not pulled. Barbecue chicken, marinated and served in the Carolina-style sauce that King's is known for, is the lighter option on the menu, which includes fried chicken livers and seafood. —GS
Hickory Notch Grill
2031 Broad Street Road, Maidens, 556-2742,
hickorynotch.com
There are no gimmicks at Hickory Notch Grill, an old country store- turned-restaurant waaaay out Broad Street Road. This is no-frills country barbecue. Pork and beef are traditionally prepared as brisket, spareribs or simply pulled — but it's the chicken that steals the thunder: slow-smoked with a thin and crispy skin layered over meat that pulls apart without argument. Massive wooden booths and a vintage flag framed above the register lend a warm Americana vibe. Nice touch: Old Dominion root beer served in frosted mugs. —RM
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